Analyzing the Setup
Imagine a 2×2 matrix A=[acbd], where each entry a,b,c,d∈{0,1,2,3,4,5}. We are tasked with finding the number of such matrices where the sum of the entries equals a prime number p, such that 2<p<8.
The prime numbers satisfying the condition 2<p<8 are p=3, p=5, and p=7. We must evaluate the number of non-negative integer solutions for each case, ensuring that no individual entry exceeds the constraint of 5.
The Combinatorial Tool
Stars and Bars
To find the number of non-negative integer solutions to the equation a+b+c+d=p, we utilize the Stars and Bars theorem. The number of solutions is given by the binomial coefficient:
In this problem, we have r=4 variables. Thus, the formula simplifies to (3p+3).
Case 1
The Sum is p=3
For p=3, the number of non-negative integer solutions is:
(33+3)=(36)=3×2×16×5×4=20
Since the maximum possible value for any single entry is 3, which is well within our constraint of ≤5, all 20 solutions are valid.
Case 2
The Sum is p=5
For p=5, the number of non-negative integer solutions is:
(35+3)=(38)=3×2×18×7×6=56
Because the total sum is 5, it is impossible for any single entry to exceed 5. Therefore, all 56 solutions are valid.
Case 3
The Sum is p=7
For p=7, the total number of non-negative solutions without constraints is:
(37+3)=(310)=3×2×110×9×8=120
However, we must subtract cases where an entry exceeds 5. An entry can be 6 or 7.
If one entry is 7, the set of entries is {7,0,0,0}. The number of permutations is:
If one entry is 6, the remaining sum is 1, which must be assigned to one of the other three variables. The set of entries is {6,1,0,0}, and the number of permutations is:
The total number of invalid cases is 4+12=16. Thus, the valid solutions for p=7 are 120−16=104.
Final Calculation
To find the total number of such matrices, we sum the valid solutions from each case:
The total number of matrices satisfying the given conditions is 180.